Orthodontic device for spreading or contracting the dental arch



Dec. 29, 1964 GERBE 3,162,948

4 ORTHODON DEVICE FOR READING OR CONTRACTING THE DENTAL ARCH Filed May 4, 1962 INVENTOR. WARREN E. GERBER BY f $6M; d amam z g United States Patent 3 162,948 GRTHQDGNTIC DEi lCE FGR SFREADING 0R CGNTRACTING THE DENTAL ARCH Warren E. Gerber, 64 (Bid Orchard Road, Skolaie, Ill. Filed May 4, 1962, Ser. No. 192,375 Claims. (Cl. 32-14) This invention relates to an orthodontic device and more particularly to a'device for expanding or contracting the dental arch.

Orthodontic devices, as heretofore commercially available, for spreading or contracting the dental arch have not been entirely satisfactory because as the dental arch Such devices are also not entirely satisfactory because of their lingual interference with that desired normal movement of the patients tongue which is so essential to the patients comfort and to the development of proper swallowing patterns and of desired habits in respect to the manner of use or movement of the tongue.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide an arch spreading or contracting device which is simple in structure and use, which avoids the defects and insufiiciencies of the presently available devices, and which at the same time is less expensive to manufacture and adjust.

A further object of the invention is to provide a dental arch spreading or contracting device of such construction that the tooth mounting bands need not be dismounted from the back molars in order to change the force of the spring means or to replace such spring means whenever and as required.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a dental arch spreading or contracting device that when mounted in the mouth of a patient will not interfere with the desired normal movement of the patients tongue.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is 'a plan view of a superior mandibular or upper dental arch with an orthodontic device embodying the present invention mounted therein;

FIGURE 2 is a view in vertical section taken along the line 22 of FIGURE 1; v

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view in vertical section taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of an arch expanding or contractingspring means forming part of the device as shown in FIGURES 1 to 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view in perspective illustratmg the releasable relation between certain parts of the device; and

FIGURES 6 and 7 are views in plan and elevation of a modified form. of arch spreading or contracting spring means.

Now referring specifically to the drawing, FIGURE 1 illustrates an orthodontic device embodying the invention mounted on theback molars 2; and 4 of the superior mandibular 6 and illustrating the manner in which such device is used for changing that mandibular arch.

The preferred form of an orthodontic device embodying the present invention comprises a pair of small tubes 8 and 10, preferably of stainless steel, the tube 8 being soldered to a mounting band 12, of like material, and the tube it being similarly secured to a like mounting band 14, the bands 12 and 14 being fashioned to fit the molars 2 and 4 respectively. Wires 16 and 18 are inserted in the forward ends of the tubes 8 and 10 and each soldered to its respective tube, these wires extending, in use, forwardly of the tube to engage the bicuspid teeth 20 and 22 respectively. The wires are also, preferably, of stainless steel and capable of readily being formed or bent to bear upon the teeth 22, if necessary, and the teeth intervening between those teeth and the back molars and to curve outwardly as at their free ends 24 around the forward sides of the teeth 22 so as to leave no sharp edges to scratch or cut the tongue. It should be understood that the wires 16 and/or 18 may be of such length as to extend 'to, and, if necessary, bear upon the eye teeth 25.

The orthodontic arch changing device also comprises spring means 26, best shown in FIGURE 4, for supplying an outwardly or inwardly directed arch spreading or contracting force to the tubes 8 and 10 and the wires 16 and 18. This spring means preferably comprises a central section 28 in the form of an arch substantially conforming to the curve of the palatine process of the superior maxillary bone, or the average curve thereof, in a transverse plane approximately through the centers of the back molars 2 and 4. The spring means is preferably made of a stainless steel wire having centrally, and at the apex of the arch, one or more torsion-spring coil convolutions 30 tending toexpand or contract the sides of the arch. From the bottom of the arch, the wire is bent laterally, at each side as at 32 and 34, substantially at right angles and then upwardly as at 36 and 38 and thereafter formed or wound into supplementary torsion-spring coil portions 40 and 42, of one or more convolutions, which join the portions 36 and 38 to diverging wing portions 44 and 46. It should be noted that the coil portions 46 and 42 are preferably formed about vertical axes and provide spring forces tending to move the wing portions 44 and 46 relatively apart or together in a common horizontal plane and thereby apply to the tubes 8 and 10 and the wires 16 and 18, when telescoped into the tubes, the same force tending to expand or contract the superior mandibular arch and move the engaged teeth apart, ultimately, into proper alignment with the like teeth of the lower mandibular.

The coil portions 30, 40 and 42 also serve to minimize the possibility of breakage of the spring Wire at the junctions of the various bends and by repeated flexing or adjusting.

It will be apparent that the spring means 26 is readily removable from its telescoped, assembled position with the tubes 8 and 10 by merely grasping a side of the arch 23 adjacent the laterally or rearwardly bent portions 32 or 34, or by grasping one of the horizontal coil portions 40 or 42, or by simply inserting a small instrument into one of those coil portions and pulling backwardly to withdraw the related wing portions, 44 or 46, from its associated tube, 8 or 10, and then repeating the same operation on the other side of the arch to withdraw the other wing portion from its associated tube. Thereafter, the sides of the arch may, by application of a force exceeding the elastic limit of the material, be bent to dif ferent angles or, alternatively, the wing portions 44 and 4-6, or one of them, may be bent, by such a force, outwardly at a different angle so as to increase the force exerted by the spring means when it is then contracted or expanded and the wings 44 and 4-0 reinserted into the tubes 8 and 16.

Thus, the required'change in the spring force may be made in an extremely simple manner without demounting a the spring means 26 may be readily replaced without disturbing the remainder of the device or detaching the tooth bands 1 2 iand 14 from the patients mouth It should also be noted that the spring means shown'in this application is fashioned for ready assemblywith and detachment from the tubes 8 and 10. This serves also to minimize the work involved in properlymounting the device in thepatients month since the tube and the associated wire andmounting band for one side of the patients mouth may be mounted on one side of the jaw independently of the mounting of the like parts on the other side of the mouth. Thus, for example, the tube 8, soldered'to the band 12 and, to the wire 16, may be first mounted on the back molar 2 and the wire 16 adjusted or bent soas to have a proper bearing upon the involved teeth on; that sideof-the jaw, andthen the tube 16', soldered to the band 14 and to'the wire 18, may be mounted on the other side of the jaw and the wire18 adjusted to bear properlyupon the involved teeth on that side, after which the wing'portions 44 and 46 of the spring means 26 may be telescoped into therear ends of the tubes 8 and 10. If the force applied-bythe springmeans is found to be too great re; the patients comfort, the spring may be immediately detached and adjusted to reduce the force of the spring means and reinserted, the operation being repeated until it is found to be comfortable to the patient and yet to provide the necessary force to spread or contract the involved teeth and, the upper mandibular arch.-

It will be observed that in the particular form herein disclosed, the tubes 8 and lit are cylindrical in form, both internally and externally, which allow some relative angular movement (about the axes of the tubes) between the tubes and the wing portions 44 and 4-6 of the spring means 2d. it should be noted, however, that should the malformed mandibular arch or the particular orthodontic problem requirethe tubes 8 and 10 may each be of a polygonal form, at leact internally, and "the spring means as may be formed of a wire of like polygonal form and dimension thereby to prevent, when interengaged, any relativeangular movement of the tubes relative torthe arch expanding spring wire. 7

it should be noted that the arch of the expanding springmeans is most effectively positioned substantially in a transverse plane through, or substantially through, the centers of the rear molars 2 and t and that being a positioned in that plane in the back of the superior mandibular larch it presents no interference to the normal movements of the patients tongueand, therefore, avoids any likelihood of the patient developing abnormal tongue movements or swallowing patterns which might create additional orthodontic problems or which would interfere with the proper and etlective orthodonticmanipulations of the teeth and the mouth arch in order to alignlthe patientfs teeth in the shortest possible time, consistent with the patients comfort and wellbeing', both physically and mentally I in FIGURES 6 and 7', there is shown a particularly effective form of arch contractingspring 48, a central portion t} adapted to lie adjacent the upper mandibular arch and having contracting torsion coils or convolutions '52. at plmsite ends thereof. The coils 521 join the central portion 59 to vertical legsSl and, 56 in turn joined by laterally bent portions 53; and 6610 torsion spring coils or convolutions 6 2 and 64 wound that horizontal axes to permit independent, vertical movements or adjustments of the wings 66 and 68 as may be required for ready telescoping into the pro-positioned, molar mounted, tubes 8 audit without efiectingthe archlcontracting force of the spring means 48; a V V It will be evident that the spring means 2:8 maybe used in the same mannerfa'nd' with the same' adyantages, as the spring means 26.- i V e Whatlclaimis: V r V,

1.; A dental. 'archfspreading orthodontic'device compris ing a pair'of niountinglbands for securement to the rear molars of a patient, a pair of tubes secured to the bands,

a pair of bendable Wires to extend forwardly of the mouth and secured to corresponding ends of the, tubes, and arch spreading expanding spring means having end portions telescopically associated with the other corresponding ends of the tubes for ready disassembly, adjustment and reassembly.

2. In an arch spreading orthodontic device a pair of hollow members, .means for securing said members to the rear molars on opposite sides of a patients mouth, and expansion spring meansahavingend portions telescoped into said hollow members for ready assembly and disassembly, said spring means being comprised of a wire readily bendable to vary the expanding spring force and provided with a central portion in the form of an arch conforming to the curve of'the palatine process of the superior maxillarybon e. V

3. loan archspreading orthodontic device a pair of H? hollow members, means for securing said members to the rear molars on opposite sides of a patients mouth, and

expansion spring means having end portions telescoped into said hollow members for ready assembly, and disassembly, said spring meansb'eing composed of a wire having a central portion of arched form for fitting within -U-shaped wire for housing Within the palatine process of V the superior maxillary bone, said wire, having con'volute the alatine process of the superior maxillary bone and torsion-spring expansion coils between said central portion and the portions telescoping with the hollow members, said coils lying substantially in the plane of the end portions.

4. In an arch spreading orthodontic'device, as set forth' in claim 2, whereinthe wire is formed with a torsionspring expanding coil portion substantially at the apex of the arch.

5. In an arch spreading orthodontic device, a pair of hollow members adapted to be cemented to opposite teethand spring means having end portions attachably telescoped into said hollow members for ready assembly and'disassembly, said spring means comprises a generally coil spring portions at the corners of the base of the U-shaped wire and said U-shaped wire having convolutc coil spring portions connecting said U-shaped wire por-V Early Expansion of Deciduous Arches, by R; E;

Barnes, American lournal of Qrthodontics and Oral Surgery, vol. 42,;No. 2, February 1956, page 87, PEG. C, relied uponr 1 RECHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT E. lyiQRGAN, Exnminer.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No, 3,162 948 December 29 1964 Warren E., Gerber It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent reqliring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 3 line 67, for "that" read about Signed and sealed this 4th day of May 1965.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J, BRENNER Aitesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A DENTAL ARCH SPREADING ORTHODONTIC DEVICE COMPRISING A PAIR OF MOUNTING BANDS FOR SECUREMENT TO THE REAR MOLARS OF A PATIENT, A PAIR OF TUBES SECURED TO THE BANDS, A PAIR OF BENDABLE WIRES TO EXTEND FORWARDLY OF THE MOUTH AND SECURED TO CORRESPONDING ENDS OF THE TUBES, AND ARCH SPREADING EXPANDING SPRING MEANS HAVING END PORTIONS TELESCOPICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE OTHER CORRESPONDING ENDS OF THE TUBES FOR READY DISASSEMBLY, ADJUSTMENT AND REASSEMBLY. 